Roland Robinson (poet)
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Roland Edward Robinson OAM (June 12, 1912–February 8, 1992) is an Australian poet and writer.
Robinson was born in County Clare, Ireland in 1912. At the age of 9, in 1921 he was brought to Australia. After only a brief education he worked in various jobs, mainly in the bush as a roustabout, boundary-rider, railway fettler, fencer, dam-builder, gardener and as a life long love - a ballet dancer.
Robinson's first published poetry appeared in Beyond the Grass-Tree Spears published in 1944. He served in the Australian Army. His love of the Australian landscape and everyday scenes were inspiration for his poetry. He was one of the most dedicated poets to the Jindyworobak Movement.
As well as a writer and poet, Robinson was dance critic for The Sydney Morning Herald in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1940s he took classes with Helene Kirsova and appeared in a number of productions by the Kirsova Ballet.[1]
Robinson was a distinguished poet and writer who spent his later years in Lake Macquarie. He was a magical storyteller; his booming, lyrical voice, and shock of white flowing hair inspired and excited his audiences. Children sat spellbound by his aboriginal tales and wonderful verses. After his death in 1992, Lake Macquarie City Council established The Roland Robinson Literary Award, an annual award to honour Robinson's contribution to literature and culture, and to foster creative literary talent in the city.
In 1997, Lake Macquarie City Council named the new library at Belmont in his honour.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Awards
- 1984 - recipient of the Order of Australia Medal, for "services to literature, particularly in the preservation of Australian Aboriginal mythology."[3]
- 1988 - Patrick White Award
- 1991 - Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, University of Newcastle[2]
- 1991 - Freeman of the City of Lake Macquarie[2]
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] Poetry
- Beyond the Grass-tree Spears: Verse (1944)
- Language of the Sand : Poems (1949)
- Tumult of the Swans (1953)
- Deep Well (1962)
- Altjeringa and Other Aboriginal Poems (1970)
- The Hooded Lamp (1976)
- Selected poems (1944-1982) (1983)
[edit] Writing
- Black-feller, white-feller (1958)
- The Man Who Sold his Dreaming (1965)
- Wandjina, Children of the Dreamtime : Aboriginal Myths & Legends (1968) illustrations by Roderick Shaw
- Aboriginal myths & legends : age-old stories of the Australian tribes (1969)illustrated by Roderick Shaw
- The Australian Aboriginal (1977) photographs by Douglass Baglin
[edit] Autobiography
- The Drift of Things: an Autobiography, 1914-52 (1973)
- The Shift of Sands: an Autobiography, 1952-62 (1976)
- A Letter to Joan: an Autobiography, 1962-73 (1978)
[edit] Documentary
- The Back of Beyond (1954) directed by John Heyer[4]
- "Roland Robinson: The land as voice" (Artwrite Pictures: 1987)[5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Robinson, Roland (1912 - 1992). Australia Dancing. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- ^ a b c About Roland Robinson. City of Lake Macquarie. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- ^ It's an honour - Robinson, Roland Edward. Australian Government. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- ^ The Back of Beyond. Australian Screen. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- ^ A nation is built and Roland Robinson: The land as voice. State Library or NSW. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
[edit] References
- Agent Details - Robinson, Roland. Austlit. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- Roland Robinson Literary Award. City of Lake Macquarie. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- The Back of Beyond. Australian Screen. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- About Roland Robinson. City of Lake Macquarie. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
- Robinson, Roland (1912 - 1992). Australia Dancing. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Robinson, Roland |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Australian poet |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1912 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | County Clare, Ireland |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1992 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Australia |
